Family trip to Peñiscola

Valencia is in Fallas—a poor translation of the Spanish “Valencia en Fallas”. And for us, right now in life, it means “running away from the city.” I’ll write more about Fallas in the future. But to give you an idea: between the 15th and 19th of March, there’s a non-stop party in the streets of Valencia, with firecrackers day and night, music, and of course, people partying.

Sounds amazing, right? It is! But only if you're one of those partying. If you have kids who wake you up at 5:50 AM, and maybe even have to work… it’s not so fun anymore. So, this year, our Fallas holiday was in Peñíscola—about an hour and a half from Valencia by car. You can also take the train, but you'll need a taxi from the station to get to the beach area or city center.

Traveling to Peñíscola

We’ve taken the train there twice—once for our honeymoon, and once when Noah was 3 and I was pregnant with our second baby. When you step off the train, be prepared: a strong smell hits your nose and senses. It’s kind of like essential oils—but ten times stronger. It comes from a factory nearby that produces perfumes. Taxi drivers will tell you more about it, and some even blame it for a rise in illnesses in the area.

Enjoy the long promenade
Leaving the train station behind, let’s head toward the beach. From a distance, you can spot the castle and the sea—it always makes me think of pirates :) You’ll also be impressed by the long, wide, and beautiful promenade. Along it, you'll find plenty of hotels, bars and restaurants, mini-supermarkets, and other leisure spots.

Acuazul Hotel in Peñíscola

This year, we stayed at Acuazul—a four-star hotel with a spa, parking, and of course, a perfect beachfront location. We arrived right at lunchtime. While checking in, we were surprised by how busy the hotel was—and even more by the fact that the average age of the other guests seemed to be around 65.

Remember, it was March, right? We later found out that it was “Imserso turismo” season, when groups of elderly people from all over Spain enjoy affordable holidays as part of a government-supported travel program.

"La familia"

It was fun to be “la familia” (the family), because for the first two days, we were the only guests outside the travel groups—the only ones with kids, and definitely the only ones under 65 😬. That didn’t bother us. Actually, the opposite happened: everyone was so warm and engaging with our kids, and my husband and I had the chance to reflect on what it might feel like to be older.

It was really interesting for me to be around those people and realize that, even though they were all more or less the same age, some were clearly younger than others. And I don’t just mean in terms of physical appearance—it was more about their way of being. Those who seemed younger moved more easily, had relaxed expressions—maybe even a subtle smile at the corners of their mouths—and were often dressed in a more modern style.

Spa, Flotarium, and Massage

If you're in Peñíscola, I totally recommend the Flotarium at Acuazul. It’s a magnesium bath where you truly float. The session lasts 50 minutes and takes place in a dark room—you float naked in a tub filled with magnesium, and you can either close your eyes or gaze at the ceiling, where colorful LED lights enhance the experience with a bit of chromotherapy.

It was incredibly relaxing… and I’m sure it had a positive impact on my body. At the time, we were weaning the baby (from breadfeeding), so my body was reactivating many “dormant” functions 😌. The flotarium and the massage really helped make that transition smoother. And speaking of massage—I can’t recommend Eva, the masseuse, enough. She’s fantastic! We connected from the very first moment. I felt her empathy and compassion, especially when we talked about weaning. She gently encouraged me to truly relax.

It may sound strange, but sometimes moms (and I’m sure some dads too) need someone to remind them that it's absolutely okay to relax—and that we deserve it.

Child-Friendly Hotel

The pools are fantastic! There’s one for adults, about 1.5 meters deep, and another one for kids with a small slide that’s only around 30 cm deep. It’s perfect for kids of all ages, but especially for babies who have just started walking—maybe from around 1.5 years old.

In March, the water was cold—very cold—but since it was sunny, we still went in and played during the first few days. Of course, aside from one or two others, we were the only ones in the water. The rest were just sunbathing… fully dressed 😄.

If you’re traveling by car, the hotel offers parking for €12 a day. But outside of summer, you can usually find free street parking nearby. In June and September, though, street parking is also paid. Having a car also lets you drive to a bigger supermarket—like Mercadona. We went once and stocked up on the foods we love, especially snacks and dinner items for the boys: cottage cheese, quiches, bananas, oat milk, etc.

We had half-board—breakfast and lunch—because for us, dinner is usually very early and light. I could eat a pizza for breakfast, but for dinner? I’d rather have an apple, some nuts… something small or almost nothing. The food at the hotel was okay—not amazing (!). Maybe during high season, there’s more variety and better flavors. I felt like the meals were tailored for the main guests, most of whom were elderly—so the food seemed to be prepared with less salt and seasoning.

Unforgettable Sunrises

Being right on the beach made a huge difference for me! As I mentioned, we were weaning the baby. Surprisingly, the nights were pretty good—but he was waking up very early. I mean, 5:00 or 5:30 AM… that’s early, right?

It was impossible to get him back to sleep, and of course, I didn’t want to wake up his brother—or even his dad. So around 5:00 or 5:30, I’d grab some blueberries and cheese, feed him in the hallway of the hotel, and then take the stroller out for a walk.

There was one morning when it was really hard to stay awake. Still, I found myself enjoying the rising sun and the colors in the sky… until he eventually fell asleep. At that hour, the streets were completely empty. Only around 7:00 AM did a few runners and dog owners begin to appear.

Exploring the Town

The medieval town is small but absolutely charming. We didn’t use the stroller there because of the many stairs and narrow alleys, but it was definitely worth the effort. The castle, the sea views, the cobbled streets—everything was so picturesque! Noah loved exploring and pretending he was on a treasure hunt.

We also found a small playground near the beach and had a lovely break there. It’s always great to discover little things that make traveling with kids easier. A coffee for us, a slide for them—everyone’s happy.

One afternoon, we walked along the promenade all the way to the old town. It took about 40 minutes with the kids, but the view was so beautiful that we didn’t even notice the time passing. We stopped for ice cream and sat in the sun, watching the waves and feeling like time had slowed down.

Would we come back to Peñiscola?

Would I go again? Yes, absolutely. Maybe even during Imserso season again 😄. I loved the beach, the relaxed atmosphere, the calmness, and the castle views. And as our kids grow, I’m sure we’ll get to enjoy even more of what Peñíscola has to offer.

P.S.: We went back only some months after this but this time as a day-trip to show the resort to grandma, Oma (my husband's mom). Again, totally enjoyed the views :)

If you have any doubts of visiting this hotel or Peñiscola with or without kids, just contact me!

Hugs from sunny Valencia, Andreea